United Airlines is preparing to change how it sells some of its most expensive tickets by adding new fare tiers to its premium cabins, a move the carrier says will give travelers more flexibility to choose between price, perks, and refundability. In an April 3 announcement, United said customers on long-haul international flights, transcontinental U.S. routes, and select Hawaii services will soon see three fare choices in those cabins: base, standard, and flexible.
The airline said the new options are designed to give customers more control over what they pay for, with lower-priced fares offering fewer included benefits and higher-priced fares preserving more of the perks travelers already associate with premium tickets. Reuters reported that United plans to begin the rollout in select markets this month before expanding it later in the year. United also said it has redesigned its website and app shopping pages to make it easier to compare categories.
What The New United Fare Tiers Include
According to United’s announcement, the new structure will add a base fare to premium cabins while keeping standard and flexible options in place. That means travelers booking United Polaris or United Premium Plus will choose among a lower-priced option with fewer benefits, a standard option that includes more core perks, and a flexible option that adds refundability.
United said the categories mirror the fare structure it already uses in economy, where basic, standard, and flexible tickets are already familiar to customers. Reporting from Fodor’s adds detail on what travelers can expect from the new premium base fare. In Polaris, the base ticket will include one checked bag instead of two, access to a United Club instead of a Polaris Lounge, and a fee for advance seat selection.
Base fares will be nonrefundable and nonchangeable, meaning customers who do not travel on the original itinerary could lose the value of their ticket. Standard fare will remain similar to the current nonrefundable premium ticket, while the flexible fare will be the refundable version. For Premium Plus, the same broad structure will apply, though those fares do not include Polaris lounge access, and base fares will not be eligible for upgrades to Polaris using cash or miles.
Why The Policy Change Matters For Travelers
United described the move as a way to expand customer choice. In the airline’s release, Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella said, “These new tiered options give customers more choice and make it easier to find a fare that includes the benefits they want most – whether that’s a great value, added perks, or maximum flexibility.”
For travelers, the main impact will be the need to pay closer attention to what is included before booking. A lower upfront price in Polaris or Premium Plus may appeal to customers who care most about the seat itself, but it could also mean paying extra or giving up benefits previously included with a premium fare.
